Breeze Next Week to Determine Tiz the Law's Race Plans

With the days before the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) dwindling down, Sackatoga Stable's operating manager, Jack Knowlton, said Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Tiz the Law is likely to work at Belmont Park next week, which will determine his status for this year's final jewel of the Triple Crown.

"I talked to (trainer Barclay Tagg) today, and he indicated that (assistant trainer and exercise rider) Robin (Smullen) has him back on the track galloping and if all goes well, we're looking at a work early or in the middle of next week," Knowlton said via telephone Sept. 18. "We're not under any pressure to do anything. The horse is going to tell us what we're doing, which is what horses typically do. He seems to be doing fine now, and it's a matter of making sure everything is 100%."

Tiz the Law, a New York-bred son of Constitution , has yet to work since his Triple Crown bid was derailed through a second-place finish behind Authentic in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). The loss was only the second in eight starts, with both defeats happening at Churchill Downs.

"For the first time, after the Kentucky Derby, he came out of a race a little more worse for the wear than he typically does," Knowlton said. "We don't know what there is about it, but some horses like that track and some do not. Quite honestly, I don't know how to put it, but I don't think Churchill Downs is a track that he agrees with or it agrees with him."

The timing of a breeze next week would give Tagg a chance to possibly breeze the $2.6 million earner twice before the 1 3/16-mile Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.

Knowlton said if the workout is scrapped or Tagg does not like what he sees in it, Tiz the Law would be pointed toward the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland.

"If we are not 110% satisfied with the work, we'll go to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup," Knowlton said. "Nothing has been ruled out."

The Preakness and the Classic figure to determine the champion 3-year-old male. The Bob Baffert-trained Authentic moved into the No. 1 spot in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top 3-Year-Old Poll after his win in the Run for the Roses, which gave him a mark of four wins and a second in five 2020 starts with two grade 1s. Tiz the Law has an identical mark after five races this year but with three grade 1s.

"If Authentic wins the Preakness, there's no doubt in my mind that he's the champion, and that's rightfully so, unless we win the Classic," Knowlton said. "Even in an upside-down year, if you win two Triple Crown races, that outweighs a lot of things. We made that argument with Funny Cide (who was the champion 3-year-old male of 2003 for Sackatoga and Tagg after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. "If neither one of us wins the Preakness, then he has two grade 1s, we have three, and I think our body of work is more impressive."

Though Sackatoga has signed a stallion agreement with Ashford Stud, Tiz the Law will race at 4 and there are two races that stand out most in Knowlton's mind: the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park and the Whitney Stakes (G1) in August at Saratoga Race Course.

"Right now, the two races for next year that are the most likely are the Pegasus and the Whitney. 'Tiz' won the (Runhappy Travers Stakes, G1) and I would love to win the other marquee race at Saratoga, there's no doubt about that," said Knowlton, a Saratoga resident. "It would be great if he could run in them and then end the year in the Breeders' Cup."

Other than those stakes spanning the winter and summer, Knowlton said he has no interest in shipping Tiz the Law to the Middle East for the $20 million Saudi Cup and/or the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), but he might consider the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at Oaklawn Park if there's a $1 million purse.

The Oaklawn Handicap offered a purse of $600,000 this year amid COVID-19 and $750,000 in 2019.

"Between the Pegasus and the Whitney, we'll see what's out there. One place I don't want to go is Churchill Downs," Knowlton said. "I don't see us heading overseas. I'm not considering the Saudi Cup at all, and Dubai is a longshot. I would never say never, but I doubt it. I've been to Oaklawn and enjoyed it, and the Oaklawn Handicap could be an option if the purse is $1 million.

"The best part of this is that regardless of whether we run in the Preakness, we have a horse who will be running in major races."